Draft key retainer



July 28, l93l. D, s, BARRows 1,816,356

mumxmr RETAINER sued sept. 22, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 I Il July 28, 1931. D. s. BARRows 1,816,355

DRAFT KEY RETAINER Filed sept. 22, 1925 2 sneetsfsneet 2 Q Q5@ @t Q Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED AsT'ArEs DONALD S. BARROWS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON COLL' PATA-ENT orf-Ica *D PANY, v01T'v YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND DRAFT KEY RETAINER Application led September 22, 1925.y Serial No. 57,913.

This inventionl relates to draft rigging, and more particularly to means for retalning draft rigging keys in position without the employment of retaining means formed 5 on or connected to said keys.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is the provision of a special form of cheek plate or draft lug adapted for the reception of draft keys which are neither provided with heads nor the usual cotter or other retaining means thereon, said cheek plates being instead provided with retaining means for said keys.

An object of my invention is the provision of cheek plates with slotted portions particularly ladapted for the reception of headless draft keys, flangesframing said slotted portions, and portions of said flanges extending beyond the normal `position of the ends of said keys for supporting key retaining means. Y.

A further object of my invention is the provision of special cheek plates which con- 725 tain draftkey retaining means, whereby headless and cotterless `draft keysfmay be`v used in connection therewith. y

A further object of my invention is the provision of cheek plates slotted, in the usual manner, for the reception of cooperating draft, keys, and-provided with flange portions extending adjacent said slots and perforated for the reception of removable means for retaining such draft keys in place. y y A still further object of my invention is the provision of cheek plates or draft lugs connected to associated sills andv formed with slots for the reception of an vassociated draft key, one of said cheek plates being provided with removable key retaining means andthe other being provided with a plate or web portion partially closing the provided with a relatively smallaperture the particular arrangement and combinadraft key slot .permanently and preferablyy tion of parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the claims Figure l is a horizontal sectional view through the slotted portions of a cheek plate connected with an associated sill embodyingfeatures vof my invention and supporting draft keys, other'portions of the associated draft rigging being indicated diagrammatically by dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cheek plate and associated parts illustrated in Figure l.

, Figures 3 and i are views similar to Figures l and 2, respectively, showing a modification.

Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures l and 2 showing another modification.

Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to Figures l land 2, respectively, but illustrating still further modifications of my invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designatedk by like reference characters, and first considering the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures l and 2, a'cheek plate l is illustrated connected to the web of a draft or centersill 2, a portion only of which is illustrated. Rivets 3 are shown foroonnecting said cheek plate to saidsill and said cheek plate is shown applied to the outer side of said sill. Although onlyv one sill and associated cheek plate is illustrated, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that the construction is symmetrical and a similar cheek'plate 1 is connected with the other draft or center sill 2 in such a manner that the slots `Il: and 5 in lsaid cheek plates register, respectively, with each other forproperly supporting and guiding the front and rear draft keys 6 and 7, respectively. The coupler 8, yokel 9 and front follower l() supported andheld in alinement by means of said draft keys 6 and 7, are illustrated diagramatically by dot and dash lines.

In the present embodiment, the slots 4 and 5 and the cheek plates l are, framed by flanges 11, the inwardly extending portions 12 of which cooperate with corresponding slots in the webs of the sills 2, and the outwardly extending portions 1l) of which serve to increase the bearing area between said flanges and associated draft keys 6 and 7 and also provide means for removably securing said draft keys in assembled positions. That is, parts of the horizontally extending portions of the outwardly extending flanges 13 are extended, as indicated particularly in Figure 1, beyond'the normal positions of the ends of the draft keys and are perforated, as indicated at 14, for the reception of bolts or pins 155 either serving for removably retaining the draft keys in place without additional means or for receiving retaining or slot closure bars 16 for this purpose.

In the present embodiment, the dra-ft key 6 is shown retained. in positi n after insertion through the slots fl and associated yoke and coupler by means of the retaining or slot closure bars 16 held in position by two bolts or pins 15 extending through apertures 14 in the upper and lower extended flange portions For convenience, the pins or bolts 15 may comprise the easily available.

brake pins, of the usual size, said pins being limited in their downward movement by the heads 1T thereof and after insertion being prevented from undesired removal by cotters 18 or the like extending through apertures adjacent the lower ends thereof.

The key 7 may, in the present instance, because the slot 5 is shorter than the slot 4, be retained in position by a single pin or bolt l5 at each end of said key extending' through upper and lower flanges 13, as illustrated. It will be apparent that because, according to my invention, retaining means are provided on the cheek plates themselves, it is unnecessary to provide either heats on the key or keys used with said cheek plates, it merely being preferable to round or bevel the ends of said keys, as illustrated in the drawings, to permit application with oversize draft gears.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures l and 4, a similar construction for the cheek plates 1EL may be provided except that the extended flanges 13 thereof are formed with elongated longitudinally extending apertures 111 therethrough for the reception of flat bars or plates 15a. Said bars or plates 15a may be provided with heads or angularly disposed portions 1'?a for limiting the downward movement thereof in the slots 14 and after insertion in place the lower portions thereof may be provided with retaining means of any desired character. 'fFor example, the lower edges thereof may be bent over to form flanges 1Sa for preventing undesired removal of said retaining means 15321. The keys 6L and 7 may be constructed as in the previous modifica-tion, and the length or longitudinal dimension of said retaining y means 15a may correspond, as in the previous modification, with the corresponding dimension of the slots la and 5a for receiving said keys.

Referring now to the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, a similar construction is provided for the cheek plates 1b except that said cheek plates are adapted for application to the inside rather than the outside of center or draft sills 2b and reinforcing ribs 19 are shown extending from the rear end of the flange portion 12b surrounding the slot 5 and engaging the correspondingly slotted portion 2O in said sill 2b. The draft keys 6b and 7b as well as the retaining means 15b may be constructed as in the previous modification.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, a cheek plate or front draft lug 1C is illustrated supporting one end, and preferablyy the right hand end, of draft key 6c and said draft lug is preferably provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 13e apertured at lef-C for the reception of a retaining plate 15C as in the modification illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The main distinction between this cheek plate 1c and the previously described cheek plate 1b is that said cheek plate 1c is formed with an inwardly extending draft lug 21 adapted to serve as a stop for the front follower member (not shown) and is formed with a single slot 4c' instead of being doubly slotted, as in the previous modification.

As in the previous modification, this cheek to the innerside of the associated sill 2. The other cheek plate or draft lug, used in connection with the cheek plate 1c, may be similarly constructed, if desired. However, as one embodiment of my invention, I propose to form for cooperation with such a cheek plate 1c, a cheek plate or draft lug 1, as illustrated, supporting one end which, in the embodiment shown in Figure 7, is the left end of the draft key 6c. Said cheek plate 1d may be identical with the cheek plate 1c or with any of the other cheek plates` such as previously described if used there- 'with, except that the outer end of the slot most completely enclosed slot or slots, only a small opening or openings being left for driving out the key or keys, if necessary. Although this substantially enclosed slot type of cheek plate, illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, is shown as of the single slot type and used in connection with a single slot type of cheek plate or A. R.Y A. front draft lug, it is obvious that I do not wishvto be restricted to such ra showing as, in any of the previous modifications, one of the cheek plates may be modified to provide. a substantially enclosed slot as shown in these last two figures. It will be understood, however, that only the cheek plate at one side or end of a given key or keys is preferably constructed in this manner, it being necessary to form the other cheek plate with removable retaining means for the ready application of the draft key or keys.

In the appended claims the term cheek plate is intended to cover not only outside applied double slotted cheek plates, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, but also inside applied cheek or spring plates, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, and single slot cheek plates or draft lugs, asillustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of cheek plates provided with slotted portions engaging said key, said slotted portions being framed by flanges, and portions of said flanges extending outwardly beyond the ends of the key and perforated for receiving key retaining means.

2. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of cheek plates provided with registering slots in which said key is supported, said slots being framed by flanges extending therearound, portions Lof said flanges extending beyondthe ends of said key and apertured for receiving key retaining means. 4

3. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of cheek plates provided with slots, in which said key extends, and retaining means connected to said cheek plates forfpreventing withdrawal of said key. y

4. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of cheek plates provided with slots, in which said key extends, and retaining means on said cheek plates for preventing undesired removal of said key.

5. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of cheek plates provided with slot-s, in which said key extends, and retaining means connected to and extending from a cheek plate -upwardly beyond the horizontal plane of the draft key for limiting movement thereof.

6. In a railway draft rigging, the combination-withV a draft key, of check plates formed with key guiding and supporting flanges, portions of said flanges being extended outwardly beyond ther ends of the key and perforated for the reception of key retaining means.

7. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with a draft key, of check plates provided with slots, in which said key extends, and retaining means on one of said cheek plates for limiting outward movement ofsaid key, the other of said cheek plates being formedwith a web partially closing the outer'end of the key slot therein'for limiting movement of said key in the other direction. i

8. A cheek plate for railway draft rigging comprising portions adapted for connection with van associated sill, and slotted portions for engaging an associated draft key, said slotted portions being framed by flanges, and portions of said flanges extending outwardly beyond the normal position of said associated key and perforated forreceiving key retaining means.

9. A cheek plate for railway draft rigging comprising a portion formed for connection with an associated sill and provided with a slot into which an associated draft key is adapted to extend, and retaining means connected to said cheek plate for preventing witlidrawal of said key.

10. A cheek plate for railwayv draft rigging adapted'for connection with a sill and provided with a slot into which any associated draft key may extend, and retaining means, the long axis of which is vertical and which issecured adjacent one of its ends in cooperative relation with said plate, for preventing undesired removal of said key.

11. A cheek plate for railway draft rigging formed for connection. with an associated sill and provided with a key guiding and supporting flange, a portion of said flange being extended beyond thenormal position of the end ofthe vkey and perforated for receiving key retaining means.

12. I n a device of the class described,'the

combination with a pair of draft sills, of

cheekv pieces carried by said draft sills and provided with slots for the passage of a Vdraft key, and ak removable stop carried by one of said cheek piecesA for limiting the movement of the key outwardly of said last mentioned cheek piece.

13. In a car construction having slotted draft sills for the reception of a transversely extending connecting key such asin a i draft rigging, an attachment for preventing withdrawal of such key in one'direction, said attachment comprising a slotted member adapted to be supported from the corresponding adjacent draft sill and support p the key, and a second member removably secured with respect to the rst-meniber and disposed opposite the end of such key.

14. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with center sills having key receiving openings, a member having ianges for reinforcing one of said openings and a key Working in said reinforced opening; of a retaining element detachably secured to the flanges of said member and disposed outwardly of the corresponding end of the key and adapted to limit displacement thereof outwardly of said member.

15. Draft key retaining means, comprising means adapted to be secured to the side i of a center sill so as to extend transversely of the draft key slot in the center sill and provided with an opening in the top, and a latch member insertible through the top opening in said means so as to be disposed vertically across the path of the draft key, said means being formed to limit downward movement of the latch member.

1G. A cheek plate and an associated draft key retainer for railway draft rigging, said plate being adapted for connection with an associated draft sill, formed with a slot into which an associated draft key may extend l and key guiding and retainer supporting` flanges extending outwardly around said slot, said retainer being adapted to extend from one flange to the other across said slot for preventing undesired removal of said key. o

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. DONALD S. BARROVVS. 

